This invention relates to the operation of electrolyte based components, particularly in pipeline systems of the type used in the oil and gas industry. The invention is particularly relevant in situations where electrolyte based components are exposed to high temperature environments.
In this application the expression electrolyte based component is used to mean any component or device in which the presence of an electrolyte plays a role in the functioning of the component. The expression electrolyte based component includes batteries and electrolytic capacitors.
In the oil and gas industry there is often a need to power electronics or other equipment in situations where the ambient temperature is significantly above normal climatic temperatures. One such situation is downhole in a well, where the ambient temperature might be a hundred to a few hundred degrees centigrade due to geothermal effects. Such “high temperature” environments have a detrimental effect on the operation of electrolyte based components. In particular, the electrolyte in batteries or capacitors, can have a tendency to boil or evaporate at an accelerated rate. These effects can cause catastrophic failure or impaired performance such as accelerated self discharge.